Sunday, October 04, 2009

Don't Buy Food from Strangers





Such is the maxim of any true farmer, not to mention the HomePage spread of my new, neighborhood favorite, Blooming Hill Farm. 

It started this a.m. with a craving, "Mom, let's drive over to Adam's Farm for a few fresh fuji's".
30 minutes for a few apples? ...you might easily guess her response. But then came a wise interjection of the ever-astute step-father, "Why don't you two check out that small, local farm, ummm, Blooming Hill I think".  And so it was. Only 5 minutes by car from mom's and I was giddy as could be, camera in hand. 

Sitting right off of Route 208 in Bloomingrove, New York, this intimate, family-run farm began 27 years ago under the leadership of Guy Jones, gardener gone farmer. And while the hidden drive indeed lends itself to a small, garden feel,  I was happily surprised to see that the dirt path expands into a much larger plot of land...160 acres large, there upon housing several lovely vegetable varietals, as well as a rustic barnyard market & restaurant. And indeed the barnyard made me smile. Colorful fruits and veggies spilling out of raw-wood boxes; a tantalizing aroma bursting from the sectioned-off kitchen; a rolling stream running through the back-garden restaurant. It was just enough to encourage my yelp to the passerby waitress, "I love this place!". She, in turn, grabbed my arm warmly, "Awww, I'm so glad!"


And as she continued to enlighten me, it seems I may very well have been late to the catch, but some of our favorite & farm-friendly NY chefs have long since been in the know. In fact, not only does the farm custom grow seasonal produce for various New York restos, but alternating, New York chefs also drive up & cook-up a monthly, candle-lit dinner for 50 lucky restauranteurs. Garden brunches are equally as exciting, with weekly imports of Balthazar's buttery croissants. And, as you may have guessed, Blooming Hill indeed partakes in Union Square's Greenmarket festivities. It's all great news to me.

But further still, and arguable the best takeaway of the day, Blooming Hill offers a 10% discount on CSA sign-ups, offering shareholders yearly access to a host of fresh produce as grown by Blooming Hill, rather than a single, seasonal crop as offered by the traditional CSA. 
In other words, it's a pretty cool opportunity to make a more dedicated contribution to sustainable food in exchange for a colorful feast of fruits & veggies. Ever was there a better win-win?

Well, I'm thus far only 1 bosch pear in, but make no mistake, Blooming Hill, my belly salutes you.

Blooming Hill Farm
www.bloominghillfarm.com.
1251 Route 208
Blooming Grove, New York 10914
(845) 782 7310